Attractions

The stately and lively Plaza de Armas, lined by arcades and carved wooden balconies, and framed by the Andes, is the focal point of Cusco. After Machu Picchu, it is one of the most familiar sights in Peru. You will cross it, relax on the benches in its center, and pass under the porticoes that line the square with shops, restaurants, travel agencies, and bars innumerable times during your stay in Cusco. The plaza -- which was twice its present size in Inca days -- has two of Cusco's foremost churches and the remains of original Inca walls on the northwest side of the square, thought to be the foundation of the Inca Pachacútec's palace.

Many principal sights within the historic quarter of Cusco and beyond the city are included in the boleto turístico, but a few very worthwhile places of interest, such as the Templo del Qoricancha (Temple of the Sun) and Museo de Arte Precolombino (MAP), are not included.

Cusco's Boleto Turístico

Cusco's municipal tourism (Calle Mantas 117-A) office sells a tourist ticket, or boleto turístico, that is virtually essential for visiting the city and surrounding areas. It is your admission to 16 of the most important places of interest in and around Cusco, including some of the major draws in the Sacred Valley. Though it no longer includes a couple of important sights, including the Catedral, the boleto is still a good value, and you cannot get into several churches, museums, and ruins without it. The full ticket costs S/70 ($23/£12) for adults and S/35 ($12/£5.95) for students with ID and children, is valid for 10 days, and is available at the tourism office at Mantas 117-A (tel. 084/263-176), open Monday through Friday from 8am to 6:30pm and Saturday from 8am to 2pm.

In addition to the main Tourist Office, the boleto can be purchased at OFEC, Av. El Sol 103, office 106 (Galerías Turísticas; tel. 084/227-037), from 8am to 6pm Monday through Saturday, and Casa Garcilaso, at the corner of Garcilaso y Heladeros s/n (tel. 084/226-919), from 8am to 5pm Monday through Friday, and 8am to 4pm Saturday.

The full boleto allows admission to the following sights: in Cusco, Convento y Museo de Santa Catalina, Museo Municipal de Arte Contemporáneo, Museo Histórico Regional, Museo de Sitio Qoricancha, Museo de Arte Popular, Centro Qosqo de Arte Nativo, Monumento al Inka Pachacuteq; the nearby Inca ruins of Sacsayhuamán, Q'enko, Pukapukara, Tambomachay, Pikillacta, and Tipón; and the Valle Sagrado attractions of Pisac, Ollantaytambo, and Chinchero.

La Catedral, the imposing cathedral on the Plaza de Armas, was formerly included in the boleto but now you must pay a separate admission fee. Other principal attractions not covered by the boleto include the Templo del Qoricancha (Temple of the Sun), Museo Inca, and Iglesia de San Blas.

Not all of these attractions are indispensable, and you probably won't end up checking off absolutely everything on your color photo-coded boleto, but it remains the best admission ticket in Cusco. You can also buy a partial ticket for S/40 ($14/£6.80) that only covers either attractions in the city, or ruins outside of Cusco. Make sure you carry the ticket with you when you're planning to make visits (especially on day trips outside the city), as guards will demand to see it so that they can punch a hole alongside the corresponding picture. Students must also carry their International Student Identification Card (ISIC), as guards often demand to see that ID to prove that they didn't fraudulently obtain a student boleto. For additional information, visit www.boletoturisticocusco.com.

Cusco's Spectacular Celebrations

Cusco explodes with joyous celebration of both its Amerindian roots and Christian influences during festivals, which are crowded but splendid times to be in the city if you can find accommodations. It's worth planning your trip around one of the following fiestas, if possible.

Inti Raymi, the fiesta of the winter solstice (June 24, but lasting for days before and afterward), is certainly the star attraction. It's an eruption of Inca folk dances, exuberant costumes, and grand pageants and parades, including a massive one that takes place at the stately Sacsayhuamán ruins overlooking the city. Inti Raymi is one of the finest expressions of local popular culture on the continent, a faithful reenactment of the traditional Inca Festival of the Sun. It culminates in high priests sacrificing two llamas, one black and one white, to predict the fortunes of the coming year. Cusco's Carnaval week, with lots of music, dance, and processions of its own, is part of the buildup for Inti Raymi.

Semana Santa, or Easter week (late Mar or Apr), is an exciting traditional expression of religious faith, with stately processions through the streets of Cusco, including a great procession led by El Señor de los Temblores (Lord of the Earthquakes) on Easter Monday. On Good Friday, booths selling traditional Easter dishes are set up on the streets.

In early May, the Fiesta de las Cruces (Festival of the Crosses), a celebration popular throughout the highlands, is marked by communities decorating large crosses that are then delivered to churches. Crucifix vigils are held on all hilltops that are crowned by crosses. Festivities, as always accompanied by lively dancing, give thanks for bountiful harvests. Early June's Corpus Christi festival is another momentous occasion, with colorful religious parades featuring 15 effigies of saints through the city and events at the Plaza de Armas and the cathedral (where the effigies are displayed for a week).

On December 24, Cusco celebrates the Santuranticuy Festival, one of the largest arts-and-crafts fairs in Peru. Hundreds of artisans lay out blankets in the Plaza de Armas and sell carved Nativity figures and saints' images, in addition to ceramics and retablos (altars). The tradition was begun by the Bethlehemite Order and Franciscan Friars.

A hugely popular Andean festival that attracts droves from Cusco and the entire region is the Virgen del Carmen, celebrated principally in Paucartambo and with only a slightly lesser degree of exuberance in Pisac and smaller highland villages.